


Reversed Polarity

by bessemerprocess



Category: Anderson Cooper 360 RPF, Countdown RPF, Doctor Who, Fake News RPF, Pundit & Broadcast Journalist RPF (US), Real News RPF, The Colbert Report RPF, The Daily Show RPF, The Rachel Maddow Show RPF
Genre: FNFF OT, Fusion, Future Fic, Gen, Regeneration, leave taking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-06
Updated: 2010-06-06
Packaged: 2017-10-09 23:11:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/92633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bessemerprocess/pseuds/bessemerprocess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>His body is all wrong, of course, his body is always all wrong after he regenerates.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Reversed Polarity

His body is all wrong, of course, his body is always all wrong after he regenerates. Except this time he wasn't supposed to come back. There isn't a 13th regeneration, there is just the end. But apparently he doesn't even get that. He get this new body instead. His ginger hair is gone, and so is his cock, though, truthfully, he misses the hair most of all.

The Doctor doesn't know how to be a Time Lady, which doesn't really matter since there aren't any People of Time to judge him on his deportment these days. Of course, he's not really sure how to pass as a human female, either, and that bits a little more pressing, because the TARDIS is going to be stuck for at least a year. And even worse, a year in America.

***

The Doctor has regained his love of converse. He finds them in the depth of his wardrobe between suit jackets and scarves. They aren't his. The ones his tenth incarnation loved so much are too big. These were left by a companion. Jane or Amy or Kate, he isn't sure. Still, they fit. The black jeans belonged to the Master, and he's still not sure how they got here, but they fit liked they were made for this body and they smell like home even after such a long time. The cowboy shirt he picks up two weeks into his enforced stay, because it speaks to his British sensibilities of America.

***

A 13th regeneration, the fairy tales say, is an omen of the end of time. Except he's been there, done that, so the Doctor isn't really worried. Not really, just maybe a bit. It doesn't matter any how, he's been waiting for an endings for a long time now.

***

He goes back to visit Jack in the good old days, before Jack started running, but after his tenth regeneration got all twisted and broken. The regeneration energy has only just settled and he needs a familiar face. Jack sees him saunter out of the TARDIS and laughs for a minute straight.

"Doctor, Doctor," Jack manages between gasps. "You're American!"

"And a girl," he says, still not comfortable in this new body. His ginger hair is gone, the light brush of freckles over his nose, his nose, all gone.

"You're still the Doctor," Jack says, and wraps his arms around him.

***

The radio show is a complete accident. He's been doing odd jobs--there are only so many times you can sonic an ATM before even the humans catch on--and it just comes out of the blue. Out of the blue, a human expression that. He's sounding more and more American everyday. Time Lord adaptability, he'd say, but he's the only one that was ever so flexible.

He is though, flexible that is, so he takes the radio show when it's offered and introduces himself as Rachel, Rachel Maddow. He knows the joke, Jo or maybe Ace had shown him the films so long ago, and the line flows off his tongue like he was born to this culture, this time.

***

The television program is another story. That, he fights for. If he's stuck on Earth, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be trying to fix things. There may be less running and a completely different type of talking, but he enjoys it. Enjoys the numbers and the facts and the rhetorical flourishes. He's been a diplomat, before, and a hostage negotiator, but this is something completely different and he loves a challenge.

***

Keith is possibly the most frustrating human being he has ever dealt with. Frustrating and intriguing and that brain. The Doctor needs to stop thinking about him that way, because Keith doesn't know. Doesn't know that Rachel is a thousand years old, that Rachel isn't human, that Rachel isn't female. Keith doesn't know anything important at all. Except he does, he knows all the important things. He knows that the Doctor loves pineapple, and that drums make him cry sometimes for no reason. He knows that the Doctor loves adventure, loves to runs, loves dogs and loves people. He knows that the Doctor just wants to help fix this mighty world, this place where so many of the people and things he's loved have come from, this Earth.

***

The Doctor makes friends, not companions. There's a subtle difference, but the difference is everything.

The Doctor adopts a dog. A live one, this time. Big and furry and lolling tongued.

The Doctor rents an apartment. An actual permanent physical location. Keith takes him out to celebrate with Jon and Stephen and Anderson, but he still feels like he is cheating on the TARDIS. She is his home, the apartment is just rain protection.

***

The TARDIS repairs itself and still the Doctor doesn't leave. He hasn't spent this much time living linearly since that stint with UNIT back in the 70s. But he has a voice here, and he has Keith and Jon and Stephen and Anderson and he can have adventure without even leaving the planet.

***

He defeats the Nimorta Hivemind wearing a power jacket, stage make up, jeans and skater shoes. The whole world gets the battle broadcast straight into their minds. He can't hide behind Rachel anymore. It's odd, he doesn't feel like he's hiding anymore. He's more Rachel Maddow than he's ever been John Smith, but it doesn't matter because he's still the Doctor.

***

"I'm going," he says.

Jon kisses him on the forehead on day. "I know, I've always known," he says like a benediction.

***

When Stephen finds out, he spreads his fingers in the Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper."

"Peace and long life," Rachel says with tears in his eyes. It's always been easy to be Rachel with Stephen.

***

Anderson just smiles. "Give the universe as hell. I'm sure there's a lot of space infrastructure out there that could use some improvement."

***

"Come with me," the Doctor says. "Come with me. Stand beside me. Run with me."

Keith looks at him. "Rachel, I want to, please, you know I do. But I'm too old. I'd never keep up."

The Doctor should have asked years ago, but he thought Keith wasn't ready. Maybe it was him who wasn't ready. Keith is old, he realizes for the first time. Not like he's old, of course, but there is silver in Keith's hair and he needs his cane to get around.

"I meant to spend my life with you," the Doctor says.

"And you did. It's been twenty years, Rachel. Wonderful years. And don't say I didn't know you. I did. It doesn't matter if you are an alien, or a guy, or even a Republican. We spent an amazing life together, and if you have to leave, if the stars are calling you home, well, go with my blessing and my love."

"Just one trip. The TARDIS travels in time. You won't miss a thing."

Keith smiles. "No. If I came with you, I'd never want to leave. I've made my peace with the planet. It's okay, go."

"I'll come back," Rachel says.

He never does.


End file.
